I Never Sacked Workers ‘Cos Of Strike Action—Amosun

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Governor of Ogun State, Mr Ibikunle Amosun, has maintained that he never dismissed any worker from the state’s civil service due to the ongoing industrial action.

On Monday, the Governor approved the dismissal of the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Akeem Ambali, his Vice and the state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Dare Ilekoya, 14 others.

Those dismissed were A.O Oshin, Nola Balogun, Eniola Atiku, Solaru.O, Adebanjo.T, Akinola.A.S, Oyolola .S.A, Obafemi. O.B, Ogunsola Peter, Akinlade.S.A, Christopher.T.A, Ogunrombi A.A, Azeez.K.I and Taiwo A.O.

Those suspended were Odusanya S.A, Comrade Akapo, Adegbesan J.O, Adelami S.I, Obadara O, Ogunnuga O.A, Ayokambi T.A, Tijani A.A, Adegbesan J.O, Idowu A.O, Olaifa O.A, Bayo Lasore, Ahmodu S.A, Oludotun Oliyide, Tijani Y.A, Awode I.A, Dada O.A and Adesanya Abiola.

The move has generated mixed reactions since yesterday, with some calling the Governor a tyrant, who wants to cow oppositions in the state.

But reacting on Tuesday via a statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Adejuwon Soyinka, Mr Amosun said there was no iota of truth to this speculation.

“Contrary to such claims, what truly transpired is that the Ogun State Civil Service Commission, in furtherance of its statutory responsibility of maintaining discipline and adherence to public service rules and extant regulations, on Monday, took the decision to sanction some civil servants.

“The affected civil servants were alleged to have been involved in certain acts of misconduct in the course of the 2016 World Teachers Day celebration on October 5, 2016 way before the ongoing strike action commenced.

“In a statement issued on Monday and signed by the Ogun State Head of Service, Elder Sola Adeyemi, the State Civil Service Commission explained that it received complaints from concerned members of the public against some public and civil servants allegedly involved in various acts of misconduct in the course of the 2016 World Teachers Day celebration.

“The allegations against the affected civil and public servants include the fact that, contrary to extant public service rules, they got involved in partisan politics by publicly admitting receiving money from a politician and also hiring a musician with whom they sang praises of the said politician while chanting political slogans in the course of the World Teachers Day celebration.

“To determine the veracity of such complaints and give the affected civil and public servants the opportunity for fair hearing, the Civil Service Commission said it set up an administrative panel of Inquiry on October 17, 2016.

“The panel’s term of reference include, among others, to investigate the events of October 5, 2016 at the NUT Multipurpose hall, Kuto, Abeokuta with a view to identifying the public and civil servants directly or indirectly involved in partisan political activities; determine the culpability or otherwise of the identified public servants and recommend appropriate disciplinary actions in line with the public service rules and extant regulations.

“Before arriving at its decisions, the panel issued queries and invited the affected civil servants who in turn made written and oral representations.

“After listening to all parties involved including witnesses, as well as reviewing the evidences at its disposal, the panel, in its wisdom, recommended the dismissal of 16 public and civil servants.

“Those recommended for dismissal include Comrade Akeem Ambali, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Comrade Dare Ilekoya, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT. They were all found to have contravened the Public Service Rules 04401, 04402 (c&d) and 04406 (a) due to their involvement in the political rally they held under the guise of World Teachers Day celebration event.

“The panel also recommended the suspension of 19 others while exonerating one Mr Abiodun Oriyomi Samuel who was said not to have been involved in the alleged partisan act.

“From the foregoing, it is clear that the State Civil Service Commission only acted in fulfilment of its statutory responsibility and this has nothing to do with Governor Amosun or the ongoing strike action embarked upon by a section of the workforce in the state.”